Named experts · Practitioner profile
About Leonard
Leonard Bonello is a partner at Ganado Advocates in Valletta and heads the firm's FinTech group. He joined Ganado in 2006 and became a partner in 2018, advising credit institutions, e-money and payment institutions, and assisting crypto-asset service providers and blockchain projects based in Malta. He is recognised as a Leading Partner in fintech by the Legal 500 and ranked by Chambers FinTech, is a member of the Blockchain Malta Association, and is a visiting lecturer and examiner at the University of Malta.
Practice fields
Credentials
- Partner, Head of FinTech group, Ganado Advocates
- Legal 500 — Leading Partner, Fintech (Malta)
- Recognised in Chambers FinTech (Malta)
- Member, Blockchain Malta Association; visiting lecturer, University of Malta
Jurisdictions
Sources
Every entry on this page is sourced from public records. The references below are the evidence base for the practitioner's expertise claims.
Relevant guides
Knowledge-base coverage that overlaps with Leonard's practice (Malta · MiCA CASP, Crypto custody, Token classification, Crypto AML).
CASP conduct and marketing · MiCA rules
MiCA Conduct and Marketing Rules for CASPs: The Full Cluster
How MiCA governs CASP conduct — fair-clear-not-misleading marketing (Article 7, 74), influencer rules, conflicts (72), inducements (78), bes…
MiCA scope edges · DeFi · staking · DLT Pilot · Article 60 · reverse solicitation · MiFID II line
The Edges of MiCA Scope 2026 — DeFi, Staking, DLT Pilot, Article 60, Reverse Solicitation
Where MiCA's perimeter actually sits — the DeFi carve-out, staking and lending, the DLT Pilot Regime boundary, the Article 60 bank track, re…
Crypto casino · Gambling + crypto licensing
Crypto Casino License vs Gambling License 2026 — What Operators Need
Crypto casino operators face the intersection of gambling regulation and crypto-asset regulation. Some jurisdictions treat crypto casinos un…
Qualifying holdings · CASP acquisitions
Qualifying Holdings Acquisitions 2026 — MiCA CASP Guide
MiCA's qualifying holdings framework governs notification and approval of any acquisition that brings a shareholder above 10%, 20%, 30%, or …
MiCA · CASP operations & lifecycle
CASP Operations and Lifecycle 2026 — MiCA Passport, Banking, Wind-Down
The CASP passport under MiCA Article 65 went operational in late 2024 — but a working passport is one part of running an authorised CASP. Th…
Crypto custody · Segregation rules
Crypto Custody Segregation Rules — MiCA Practitioner Guide
MiCA Article 75 sets the operational rulebook for CASP custody of client crypto-assets — segregation, ledger accuracy, bankruptcy-remoteness…